Drama for Pro 1500 points leader Missig as Crown Racing dominates Pro 1340 and Stephens reigns on Thursday of championship weekend

All season long, teams and participants in the Radical Cup North America program have worked hard to reach this weekend. With the championship final now here and a day of testing looming, the 2024 title hunt will end in less than 48 hours. Things heated up on the track at Sonoma Raceway as Pro 1500 champion Jordan Missig endured a day full of drama that could impact a year’s worth of hard work.

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In two test sessions before the first official practice session of the weekend, Michai Stephens (RYNO Racing with Team Stradale) and Chip Romer (ONE Motorsports) were in the lead. Louis Schriber (EVR Motorsports) and Wayne Williams (ESSES Racing) also finished in the top three, but at the end of the day it was Stephens who topped the standings. The RYNO Racing with Team Stradale driver posted a fast time of 1:35.981 minutes to lead Steve Jenks (Group-A Racing) and Jon Field (One Motorsports) at the top of the standings. It was another ONE Motorsports driver in fourth place as Chip Romer looks to have what it takes to challenge for a podium finish on the final weekend of the season. Williams and Schriber defeated Gregg Gorski in the final session of the day and finished fifth through seventh in the results list.

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Matt Romer (ONE Motorsports) and Bobby Thompson (Group-A Racing) led the way in the two unofficial test sessions, but when official practice began it was Evan Slater who found his way to the top of the standings. Graham Rahal Performance’s Jordan Missig had a hot afternoon when a large fire at the rear of his machine cut short the session and put his championship chase on hold. An engine failure led to an oil fire and extensive damage was caused. With no replacement car, the team had to work hard to figure out what they could do to get back on track, while other teams offered parts and support to keep Missig’s championship hopes alive.

Equipped with an all-white machine, Missig and the GRP team had borrowed a car to get back on track and wanted to use the session to get up to speed. Evan Slater (EVR Motorsports) found his way to the top of the charts, securing the fastest Pro 1500 lap of the session alongside GRP’s Nick d’Orlando, as well as another championship hopeful P2 in the final session of the day.

As the story progressed, Missig slowly got up to speed with his new ride and at the start of the session he was seconds behind the fastest Pro 1500 lap. When the checkered flag waved, Missig had set the third fastest time, just 1.5 seconds behind the fastest driver in his class in a car he was unfamiliar with, a tremendous achievement for him and the team. Cameron Racing Radical Northwest’s Matt Romer and Spencer Schmidt rounded out the top five and will look to fight for a podium result on Friday.

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Announced Thursday morning and making its first appearance in the Radical Cup North America, Anders Fjordbach and his Crown Racing entry Apex won both Pro 1340 test sessions. Matt and Chris McMurry saw the Crown squad evaporate all three top spots in both testing sessions as they keep their eyes on both the team and driver championships.

Matt Murry prevailed in official practice and kept Crown Racing with Apex at the top of the Pro 1340 standings, while Fjordbach dropped to second. A new driver and team emerged in the top three as Suellio Almedia edged out Chis McMurry to take third place. The elder McMurry stayed ahead of fifth-place finisher Mike Anzaldi (RYNO Racing with Team Stradale).

With further practice planned for Friday morning, qualifying with the first wheel-to-wheel race will follow later in the day. Races two and three of the weekend will take place on Saturday, with the champions being crowned on Saturday afternoon. Follow along all weekend on the Radical Motorsport YouTube page and livestream HERE.

The Radical Cup North America events are open to local and regional Radical racers of all ages with eligible cars. For more information, including links to register for events and purchase a license, visit www.radicalmotorsport.com. Stay tuned to the Radical Cup social media pages for the latest news and updates on the series.